John
,
18

For John, 18, nothing’s better than trains. He loves going for drives with his parents to catch glimpses of the local commuter rail train as it passes near his home.

One of his favorite things to do is take a train ride into Boston for a meal. The teen, who has a life-threatening seizure disorder, finds the steady feel of gliding along on the tracks especially soothing. Yet, the loud sounds of the engines and horns never fail to excite him, too! John had trains in mind when he made his special wish.

John wished to be a train conductor at Walt Disney World® Resort, and his wish brought him and his family inside the roundhouse where the Magic Kingdom®’s antique freight trains are stored. During his early morning visit, John accompanied the engineers in warming up the trains. The steam engines hissed and churned as they came to life and he watched carefully as the engineers went through their maintenance routine.

John’s smile broadened when the title of honorary conductor was bestowed upon him! He received a special bandana and pin from the conductor and sat in the conductor’s seat, fascinated as he touched and explored all of the controls. John hollered his best, “ALL ABOARD!” and soon, he and his family were savoring a special ride encircling the Magic Kingdom before the crowds arrived. For this train aficionado, it was a magical route to joy on the rails!